


cause i'm only me when i'm with you

by dear_universe



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora misses her boo, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, F/F, Happy Birthday Adora, I Tried, I love you Catra, My First Work in This Fandom, So sue me, Useless Lesbians, and late, catra is my wife, i'm sorry i know its bad, slight AU, what if...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-25 21:32:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dear_universe/pseuds/dear_universe
Summary: what if adora did know about birthdays? what if she and catra celebrated their birthdays together? and what if, on adora's first birthday away from the horde, they miss each other?





	cause i'm only me when i'm with you

**Author's Note:**

> yeah, so, this is my first she-ra fic, so sorry if it sucks. it was supposed to be for adora's birthday haha. oh well, at least i tried. anyways, hope you enjoy, more notes at the end.

“You can’t just do things without permission, Adora. You’re still a kid!” Glimmer glared at her, hands on her hips, sparkling slightly with frustration. 

“Actually, I’m not.” Adora gave a small smile. “Today’s my eighteenth birthday.”

“Wait, what?” Glimmer looked at her with huge eyes, their argument forgotten. 

Adora shrugged, glancing off to the side and flushing pink. 

“Adora! Why didn’t you tell us?!” Bow yelled, bursting with excitement. “We have to have a party!”

Glimmer’s eyes shone. “I’ll ask my mom if we can use the great hall, and we’ll invite all the princesses, and I can make a cake, and - oh!” She put a hand over her mouth. “Presents!” 

Bow screamed. “We don’t have presents for you! Oh, Jesus, I’m so sorry, Adora, I promise I’ll get you someth-”

“Guys, please.” Adora held out her hands, her eyes downcast. “It’s okay. You don’t have to get me anything.” She wrapped her arms around herself, avoiding eye contact.

“Don’t be silly!” Bow laughed. “Of course we’ll get you something! That’s how birthdays work!” 

Glimmer put a hand on Adora’s shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

Adora shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I just… don’t really feel like celebrating. I kind of just want to be alone.” She glanced at her friends, ignoring the concern in their eyes. “Is that okay?”

“Of course!” Bow and Glimmer wrapped their arms around their best friend. “After all, it is your birthday. You can do whatever you want.”

“Thanks, guys,” Adora grinned at them.

She turned away before they could see the tears. 

*******

“Something’s wrong.” Glimmer lay on her bed, dangling halfway over the edge, all the blood rushing to her face. 

“Agreed.” Bow sat beside her, clutching a pillow to his chest. “The Adora I know would never turn down cake.” 

“Bow, this is serious!” Glimmer sat up and glared at him. “We have to help her!” 

“But we don’t even know what she wants!” Bow sighed. “I wish she wouldn’t shut herself off like this. We’re here to help her.”

“That’s a problem for another day.” Glimmer grabbed his hand, teleporting them down to the bedroom floor. “Right now, we need to make sure Adora has the best birthday ever. After all, it’s her first birthday away from the Horde! It needs to be extra special to make up for all those years alone.” 

Bow’s eyes widened. “Glimmer, you’re a genius!”

“I mean, of course I am. But why this time?” She quirked an eyebrow. 

“Adora misses the Horde!” Bow stood up and grabbed the nearest item of clothing, beginning to fold. “This is her first birthday away, and she’s probably sad about it!

“Um, why would she miss the Horde?” Glimmer pointed to her drawer, and Bow put her cape away. “I don’t know if you remember, but the Horde is evil.”

“Well, not the Horde exactly, but, you know, maybe… a certain person in the Horde? A person she really cared about and maybe had, like, special birthday traditions with?” Bow smoothed the covering of a nearby chair. 

Glimmer’s eyes popped, understanding alight in them. “Ohhhhhhh.” She stood up and started to pace. “Oh!” She brushed her hair back, a grin spreading across her face. “She misses Catra!”

“Yeah, of course!” Bow put his hands on his hips, a satisfied smile on his face. 

“So all we have to do to make Adora have the best birthday ever is kidnap Catra!” 

“Exactly!” Bow paused. “Wait, what?” 

“I think we’re going to need some help with this.” Glimmer grabbed his arm and teleported them straight into the throne room. 

*******

_“I’m the same as you now!” Adora giggled, bouncing up and down on her and Catra’s bed. “Five five five five five!”_

_“Hmph.” Catra crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m still older than you.”_

_“No you aaaaaaaaren’t!” Adora sang. “Not anymore!”_

_“Well, I’m still faster!” Catra grinned, her tiny fangs sticking out over her bottom lip._

_“Nuh-uh!” Adora shook her head, her ponytail bouncing._

_“Uh-huh!”_

_Adora put her hands on her hips. “Prove it.”_

_“Okay, then I’ll race you to the lockers.” Catra jumped off the bed and ran to the dormitory doorway. “Ready, set, go!” She zoomed off, Adora yelling behind her._

_“Hey, not fair!” Adora pouted as she ran. “It’s my birthday, Catty! Don’t be mean!”_

_Catra’s laugh rang through the halls. “Come on, Dora! Come and get me!”_

_“Wait up!” Adora ran around a corner and tripped over her own feet, tumbling to the ground. Her lip trembled, and she began to cry._

_“Dora?” Catra came running back, her feet pattering on the metal floors. “Are you okay?”_

_“I’m okay.” Adora shook her head and wiped her tears away._

_Catra wrapped her arms around Adora. “You win, Dora. Just today. Cause it’s your birthday.”_

_Adora shook her head, eyes glowing with the fire of competition. She grinned at Catra before taking off running._

_“Hey, that’s cheating!” Catra yelled._

_“It’s my birthday, Catty!” Adora squealed. “Come and get me!”_

*******

Glimmer looked from left to right, her back pressed against the corridor wall. “It’s weird coming here without Adora,” she whispered. 

Bow shuddered. “It’s weird being here at all.” He brightened suddenly. “Hey, I wonder if Kyle’s around? Maybe he’d help us.” 

Glimmer rolled her eyes. “He’s a Horde soldier, Bow. Why would he help us?”

Bow shrugged. “He helped us last time. And besides, Adora’s a Horde soldier, and so is Catra, the whole reason we’re here.”

“Adora’s not a Horde soldier anymore. Now, quiet. I don’t want to get caught because of your big mouth.” Glimmer shushed him, refusing to speak any more, her entire body taught with fear.

A pair of eyes glowed through the gate in the vents, and a voice spoke from the shadows. 

“Did I just hear you talking about my friend?” 

“Hi, Scorpia!” Glimmer smiled toothily, like she was preparing to bite someone. “Look, I hate to do this, but-”

Bow sighed. “We need your help.” 

*******

_“Hey, Adora.” Any flirtatious element was gone from Catra’s voice. She leaned against the wall, staring at her best friend._

_“Hi.” Adora sat with her back against the corridor wall, her arms wrapped around her knees._

_Catra slid down to sit beside her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, not making eye contact. “I know it’s not your fault she likes you better.”_

_Adora shook her head. “It is my fault. I should try harder, I should - I did this to you.”_

_Catra glared at her. Adora lifted her gaze, her tearstained eyes meeting Catra’s fierce, determined ones._

_“Shut the fuck up, Dora.”_

_Adora’s eyes widened. “Catra!” She gasped. It was the first time she’d ever heard her friend curse._

_“It’s not your fault, okay? Don’t do that to me. I said I’m sorry. You don’t have anything to be sorry.” Catra took a deep breath in and let it out. “It’s not your fault she… it’s not.”_

_“Catra, what’d she do?” Adora’s hands shook as she reached out to stroke Catra’s cut cheek gently._

_“I’ll tell you tomorrow.” Catra smiled, flashing her fangs. “After all, it’s your birthday. Fourteen! You finally caught up to me.” She gave a halfhearted smirk. “Took you long enough.” She ignored the frantic beating of her heart, the soft brush of Adora’s callused fingers on her face._

_Adora reached up and ran her fingers through Catra’s wild mane of hair. “Catty?”_

_“Yeah?” The sound of her childhood nickname on Adora’s lips made Catra’s breath hitch._

_Adora blushed scarlet as Catra’s tail twined around her ankles. “Can I kiss you?”_

_Catra answered by leaning forward and pressing her lips gently against Adora’s, a chaste kiss that left Adora burning with want. “Took you long enough.” Catra’s breath was warm on Adora’s cheeks. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for that?”_

_“Well, you’re going to have to wait a little longer!” Adora leaped up and dashed away, giggling like she was five again as she started her ninth annual birthday race._

_“Dora!” Catra whisper-yelled, trying not to draw attention as she ran after Adora. “That’s cheating!”_

_Adora glanced over her shoulder, grinning. “All’s fair in love and war.”_

After all, _Adora thought as she raced through the halls, her laughter bouncing off the walls,_ I’m still just a kid. I have to act like one sometimes. 

*******

Catra sat on her clawed-up bed, leaning against the wall and staring at nothing. Memories clouded her eyes, filling them with tears. “Happy birthday, Adora,” she whispered. “Wish I could be there with you.” She laughed sadly. “Not that you’d want me there. Not that I deserve it.”

She hung her head, wiping away her tears. “I don’t even deserve to be… to be sad about this.”

_Isn’t this what I wanted?_

*******

_“Why do you even bother?” Catra smirked. “I win every year.”_

_“Not true.” Adora shook her head, grinning. “I beat you last year.”_

_“You trapped me in the vents, yelled ‘fuck you, Catra’, and took off running,” Catra scoffed. “That doesn’t count.”_

_“Does too!” Adora remained composed, but the tips of her ears burned red, a sign that she was flustered._

_“God, you haven’t changed at all since we were five, have you?” Catra laughed._

_Neither have you,” Adora pointed out. “I mean, you still call me Dora.” Her smile widened. “Speaking of nicknames…”_

_“No. No no no no no. We are not doing this!” Catra rose from her running stance and backed away, hands raised in defense._

_“Aww, come on, Catty.” Adora beamed, mirth shining from every pore. “You know, you still haven’t given me my birthday present.” She took a step closer._

_“Umm, I wasn’t planning on giving you anything.” Catra raised her eyebrows._

_“Don’t worry, I already know what I want.” Adora licked her lips, taking another step closer._

_Catra backed up until she was against the wall. “Adora, someone might see,” she hissed, her fangs digging into her lower lip._

_Adora rolled her eyes. “Since when do you care?” She snorted. “This is like role reversal. Normally you’re the one pushing me up against the wall, and I’m the one blushing.”_

_“I’m not blushing!” Catra squeaked. Their bodies were pressed up against each other, their lips a hairsbreadth apart._

_“Come on, Catty.” Adora wrapped her arms around Catra’s neck. “Don’t lie to me now.”_

_“Happy birthday, Dora.” Catra reached up and tugged Adora’s ponytail loose before wrapping her legs around the other girl’s waist and pressing her lips to Adora’s._

*******

“Ohh, I understand.” Scorpia nodded her head sagely. “It’s a birthday present for Adora! That’s why you need to borrow Catra.” 

“Exactly!” Glimmer leaned against the wall, exhausted from explaining the plan so many times. “Hey, where’s Entrapta?” 

“Right here!” Entrapta popped out of the vent, doing two thumbs up with her mass of purple hair. “I must admit, I don’t understand why Adora would want Catra for a birthday gift.”

“Me neither,” Bow muttered, side-eyeing Glimmer. 

“You guys!” Glimmer threw up her hands in exasperation. “It’s because they love each other! Don't you want them to be happy?”

“Of course!” Bow and Entrapta said in unison. They grinned at each other and high-fived.

“I suppose this will make an interesting social study…” Entrapta mused. “Alright. I will help you kidnap Catra.”

“Me too!” Scorpia wrapped them all up in a giant hug. “This is gonna be great! Hey, can I come to the party? I love parties!”

“Sure,” Glimmer wheezed. 

“Oops, sorry.” Scorpia placed them all gently back on the ground. “Let’s do this!”

*******

“Catra?” Scorpia knocked once before stepping into the room. 

“I told you, I want to be alone,” Catra snarled. “What don’t you understand about that?”

“I’m sorry. There are some people here who need to talk to you.”

“Well, tell them to come back tomorrow!” Catra snapped, curling her tail around herself. 

“Tomorrow it’ll be too late,” Glimmer said, stepping out from behind Scorpia along with Bow. 

Catra rolled her eyes. “Well, if it isn’t the princess of Bright Moon.” She pressed her fingers to her temples. “Why are you here? What do you want?” 

“This isn’t about what we want.” Bow stepped forward, still keeping his distance from the bed. “This is about Adora wants.”

“Today’s her birthday,” Glimmer added by way of explanation. 

Catra glared so fiercely at the princess that she took a step back. “Don’t you think I know that? I’m her best friend.” She turned away, her body slackening with sadness. “Well, I was.”

“Yeah, well, we’re her best friends too,” Glimmer stated, her hands on her hips. “And Adora misses you.” 

Catra laughed bitterly. “No she doesn’t. Why would she?”

Bow raised an eyebrow. “Would we be here if she didn’t?” He slowly walked over and sat down on the bed next to Catra. “She locked herself in her room. She said she just wants to spend her birthday alone. We know she misses you, Catra.”

“I’m not leaving.” Catra shook her head. “It’s not as simple as a birthday present.”

“Good thing we’re not giving you a choice,” Bow said as Scorpia’s arms wrapped around Catra from behind and lifted her into the air like a baby. 

Entrapta popped out of a ceiling vent and landed on the ground beside them, pulling out her recorder and beginning to speak into it. “Case study notes, hour one. Fascinating! Subject continues to scream and struggle even though she is being taken to the person she loves. I will update again after she has been effectively restrained.”

*******

“Adora?” Glimmer knocked on Adora’s bedroom door. 

“Come in,” Adora mumbled. She was sitting on the floor in a knot of blankets, her eyes closed, her face screwed up in concentration.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” 

Adora’s eyes flew open. “It’s fine! I’m fine.” She paused, glancing around her room. “Did you… need something?” 

“Yeah,” Glimmer smiled softly. She held out her hand and pulled Adora to her feet, untangling the taller girl from her blanket nest. “Just come with me for a minute, okay?”

“But I wanted to -”

“Trust me, Adora.” Glimmer glanced over her shoulder as she led Adora towards the great hall. “You’re going to like it.” 

“If you say so,” Adora sighed, mentally preparing herself to suffer through several long hours full of people trying to talk to her. She loved her friends, but right now, all she wanted was to forget. The memories hurt too much.

Glimmer pushed open the great hall doors. 

“Hey, Adora.” 

The voice brought back the memories Adora had spent all day trying to suppress, and she instantly burst into tears. “Catty?” 

Catra stepped out of the shadows, her tail swishing as she walked up to Adora. Glimmer slipped into the darkness of the great hall, letting the two have their moment.

“Is-is this a trick?” Adora held up her hand and pressed it against Catra’s arm, testing if she was real. “Are you here to h-hurt me?” Her voice was thick with sadness. 

“No, Dora.” Catra folded Adora into her arms, letting the blonde girl cry on her shoulder. “I’m just here to be with you.”

“I missed you so much,” Adora sniffled. “I’ve been thinking about you and the birthday race all d-day…” She dissolved into sobs.

“Me too, Dora,” Catra whispered, tears falling from her own eyes and dripping onto the back of Adora’s shirt. “I do like you. I’m tired of pretending I don’t.” 

“I know,” Adora said into Catra’s shoulder, her words muffled. 

“You know?” Catra scoffed, her eyes still wet with tears. “Wow, way to make a girl feel special.”

Adora shrugged, pulling away slightly. “I mean, it’s my birthday.” She smiled at Catra, tear tracks shining silver on her face. “You should be making me feel special.” 

Catra curled her arms around Adora’s waist and leaned in for a long, slow kiss. Their faces were both wet, and the tips of their noses brushed. “Did it work?” 

Adora nodded, starting to cry again. “Are you going to leave me?” She blubbered.

Catra looked at Adora’s face, both fear and hope shining in her eyes, and shook her head. “You’re stuck with me for good, I guess,” she shrugged.

“You promise?” Adora buried her head in the crook of Catra’s shoulder. 

“I promise.” Catra tilted Adora’s head up, letting their lips meet once again. 

“Get a room!” Someone (most likely Bow) yelled. 

“I don’t understand what that means,” Entrapta said. “They are already in a room.” 

“Actually, they’re technically in the hallway,” Bow replied. “So…” 

“Ugh, you guys!” Glimmer whined. “They were having a moment!”

“Well, the moment’s over now, Glimmer, so might as well turn the lights on.” 

Glimmer lifted her hands and shot a ball of pure light up into the ceiling of the hall. “Come enjoy your party, Adora!” She called. 

Adora pulled away from Catra, putting her hands to her mouth in shock. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. 

“All for you, Princess,” Catra smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind Adora’s ear. “Ready to go in?”

Adora looked into the hall where her friends - no, her family - waited for her. Then she looked to Catra, her heart overflowing with love. 

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Yeah, I think I’m ready now.”

_Now that I’m with you._

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it! be sure to leave some kudos and a kind, respectful comment <3 have a great day!


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